Toy Review - Age of Extinction Leader Class Optimus Prime

[GoktimusPrime]

Stock images:
Hasbro version - photos on the official page is more accurate to the look of the actual toy
TakaraTOMY version <---looks to have nicer paint apps in robot mode, but still suffers from having yellow windows; RRP 7500JPY (approx. AU$80)

[The_Damned]

nice review gok didn't know it was a different mould.

[Magnus]

I'm kind of tempted, actually - I like the fact that the truck's panels are arranged a bit more evenly around the figure, and that the shield has an integrated gun. It's a shame the backpack's bulk couldn't be compacted a bit more or the parts spread throughout the figure, but oh, well.

Maybe when it's on sale...

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm kind of tempted, actually - I like the fact that the truck's panels are arranged a bit more evenly around the figure, and that the shield has an integrated gun. It's a shame the backpack's bulk couldn't be compacted a bit more or the parts spread throughout the figure, but oh, well.

IMHO it's cos the AoE screen models are far too streamlined, showing very little alt mode kibble. Look at Optimus Prime -- aside from the smoke stacks, there's very little alt mode parts visible on that robot. Where are the windows? Tyres? Grill? Wing mirrors? Fuel tanks? etc. If you look at Optimus Prime from the previous films, a lot of those alt mode parts are clearly visible, and thus it was easier to adapt it as toys, as we saw with the Leader Class Optimi from the last 3 films. In the Special Features part of the TF1 DVD, Aaron Archer explains that Transformers have to transform and that they don't morph -- meaning that there has to be definitively visible alt mode kibble like wheels and doors etc. hanging off the robots. According to this interview, Hasbro ensured that this was done w/ the movie designs in the first film. But for some reason, this directive seems to have been dropped for Age of Extinction. This throws a massive monkey wrench into the works when it comes to developing the screen models into products. Adapting the live action TFs as transformable action figures has always been a big challenge, but making the robots look like "Themed Cosplayers" compounds this challenge even more, and I think the result is evident in the decline in design quality of a lot of these AoE toys compared to those from the previous films' toylines.

In the case of Optimus Prime, a lot of the alt mode kibble which seems to disappear like G1 Prime's trailer, ends up having to be distributed somewhere. Arguably toys like Universe/Henkei Ironhide and Ratchet do a better job of this, but those toys don't have robot modes that have to stick to a pre-defined design (they just have to resemble the G1 cartoon model, but not be precise replicas of them (that's something that MPs strive to achieve)). So I think the back pack is a by-product of HasTak's engineers attempting to put all the alt mode kibble somewhere, but still try to make the robot look like the slick and streamlined screen model. I'm half frustrated at Michael Bay/Paramount for creating designs which are so counter-intuitive to toy designs, but I'm also frustrated at Hasbro for allowing this; especially when it was something that Hasbro previously would not have allowed. Have Hasbro become more liberal/lax in terms of not vetoing such decisions from Bay, or did Bay deliberately ignore requests from Hasbro to not do this?

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Anyway, here's pics of the toy transforming.

[Tallestblue]

wow. FE Prime looks huge. I'm being really cautious about AOE stuff. I want it but I think i can wait for sales.

[Zommael]

IMHO it's cos the AoE screen models are far too streamlined, showing very little alt mode kibble. Look at Optimus Prime -- aside from the smoke stacks, there's very little alt mode parts visible on that robot. Where are the windows? Tyres? Grill? Wing mirrors? Fuel tanks? etc. If you look at Optimus Prime from the previous films, a lot of those alt mode parts are clearly visible, and thus it was easier to adapt it as toys, as we saw with the Leader Class Optimi from the last 3 films. In the Special Features part of the TF1 DVD, Aaron Archer explains that Transformers have to transform and that they don't morph -- meaning that there has to be definitively visible alt mode kibble like wheels and doors etc. hanging off the robots. According to this interview, Hasbro ensured that this was done w/ the movie designs in the first film. But for some reason, this directive seems to have been dropped for Age of Extinction. This throws a massive monkey wrench into the works when it comes to developing the screen models into products. Adapting the live action TFs as transformable action figures has always been a big challenge, but making the robots look like "Themed Cosplayers" compounds this challenge even more, and I think the result is evident in the decline in design quality of a lot of these AoE toys compared to those from the previous films' toylines.

In the case of Optimus Prime, a lot of the alt mode kibble which seems to disappear like G1 Prime's trailer, ends up having to be distributed somewhere. Arguably toys like Universe/Henkei Ironhide and Ratchet do a better job of this, but those toys don't have robot modes that have to stick to a pre-defined design (they just have to resemble the G1 cartoon model, but not be precise replicas of them (that's something that MPs strive to achieve)). So I think the back pack is a by-product of HasTak's engineers attempting to put all the alt mode kibble somewhere, but still try to make the robot look like the slick and streamlined screen model. I'm half frustrated at Michael Bay/Paramount for creating designs which are so counter-intuitive to toy designs, but I'm also frustrated at Hasbro for allowing this; especially when it was something that Hasbro previously would not have allowed. Have Hasbro become more liberal/lax in terms of not vetoing such decisions from Bay, or did Bay deliberately ignore requests from Hasbro to not do this?

----------------------------------

Anyway, here's pics of the toy transforming.

Looking at the pics of the toy transforming posted by you and others, and fiddling with my FE Optimus, I have to say I think it might be the case that the truck mode emerges from the movie model's back in a similar way to the toy, but with some liberties taken to make it more streamlined. It may well have been a compromise, and one that Hasbro were actually willing to go with to have a streamlined Prime to accompany their "streamlined" new take on the TF line.

[Magnus]

Interesting points about the design. Based on the theatrical trailer, it seems to me that there's a lot of folding on the CGI model that simply can't be replicated on a toy of this size, especially without making it chunky. Then again, it's possible that this is a result of the designers not having access to the final CGI models and having to work from concept art.

I'm not sure how much say Michael Bay has in the design process - as the director, he ostensibly has 'final say' on designs, but it seems to me that he suggests design elements, and perhaps an overall look, and the production designer and concept artists do most of the actual design work.


Back to the figure: looking at those stock pics of the TakTom version, I'll admit it does look better, but I'm not sure whether or not it's worth the premium over the Hasbro version. Does anyone here have or is considering getting the TakTom version?

[Omega Metro]

Back to the figure: looking at those stock pics of the TakTom version, I'll admit it does look better, but I'm not sure whether or not it's worth the premium over the Hasbro version. Does anyone here have or is considering getting the TakTom version?

TakTom version is $62.90US at Robotkingdom (sold out unfotunately). Hasbro is $89 at Kmart. If you get other stuff then it helps offset the shipping costs so you are not really paying all that much more for the better version. I'm getting the TakTom version.